Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did.So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. --- Mark Twain

Monday, January 26, 2015

Valley de Calingasta

Do not even remember exactly who suggested to visit the valley of Calingasta or was it myself to find a beautiful picture from internet.

Just now –searching for additional information - the sentence “The most beautiful part of the province of Mendoza and San Juan” comes in mind.

The local tourist information said that the road is more-or-less drivable and no more was needed .The beginning of the road had no road sign and so the previous day I just past it . Looking back now, it was probably with the aid of some unknown force and the issue that the rear axis was repaired last night (a longer story in a previous post).

And Calingasta Valley Road was completely driveable, although some parts were like stairways so that there was no way to drive thirty km per hour. As everything inside the car and outside the car will be scattered.
There are mountains on both sides and a river in the valley...

The former road has been built much higher and was drivable as as well.

And in the past here was The Camino De Inca or Inca Road or Chapaq Nan Road. Now it belongs to UNESCO World Heritage List.
The valley itself was inhabited as early as 10,000 years before the birth of Christ. Now we can only enjoy the rock engravings and guess about the everyday life of the inhabitants and the meaning of these drawings.

As to the upper road there are less pictures.

But there are some videos of quite ok-quality and these ones are supposed to find their way to internet some day.

As to Calingasta valley - it is good to know beforehand that in some places the roads have dead ends and reach as far as a mine in the mountains.. So, you just have to take the same route back to Barreal, as it is necessary to reach San Juan for the evening of the next day. Dakar will take place in the neighborhood .

While driving I just checked over the wheels every hour. But everything was normal. No technical post this time. I have written down for myself a note that whenever the first opportunity comes I must buy at least two new wheelbearings and other issues that could be needed.

Barreal. Municipal Campground.

The living conditions are ok. Electricity and water are next to the car, and there is water in the laundry room. But no wifi. In case of wishing to use it it is necessary to drive a few kilometers up to the gas station YPF. In the evening the campsite was full of people and disco was heard all around, but the next morning, the picture was much less dense.